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U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Sustainability of Ground-Water Use in the San Pedro River Basin, Cochise County, Arizona James Leenhouts, Ph.D. IAEA/GEF IW Learn/USGS Aquifer Exchange April 19, 2007
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The Upper San Pedro Basin San Pedro River flows north from near Cananea, Mexico to Gila River 4,480 km 2 area above Tombstone gage 1,810 km 2 in Mexico 2,670 km 2 in U.S. Tombstone gaging station Fort Huachuca
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The Problem: Competing Assets The San Pedro’s riparian system (SPRNCA) Federally protected in 1988 One of shrinking number of free- flowing perennial rivers in the Southwest The human community National asset: Fort Huachuca Growing population Great climate, beautiful environs
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Streamflow at Charleston Pumping Streamflow Fort Huachuca
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Zero flow at Charleston, Summer 2005
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Investigations Geohydrologic studies Improve the conceptual model Detailed investigation of physical system Synthesis in ground-water model Riparian water needs studies Multidisciplinary study Related hydrologic variables to riparian condition Quantified riparian ET
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Geohydrologic Studies Water levels Streamflow Aquifer storage change - microgravity Geophysical exploration Unsaturated zone flow Stream temperature monitoring Lacoste and Romberg Model D Relative-gravity meter
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Investigations Network
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W E T L A N D S S T R E A M BEDROCK ET RECHARGE CURRENT CONCEPTUAL GROUND-WATER FLOW SYSTEM Spring limestone EPHEMERAL STREAM RECHARGE EPHEMERAL STREAM RECHARGE EASTWEST
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Riparian Water Needs Investigation Three components Hydrology Ecology Evapotranspiration
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Riparian Condition Class Relates hydrology to ecology Provides science to inform policy
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The Mandate: Sustainable Yield Stipulated by Congress Not safe yield --> pumping = recharge Sustainable Ground-Water Yield “…the development and use of ground water in a manner that can be maintained for an indefinite time without causing unacceptable environmental, economic, or social consequences.”
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The Players Upper San Pedro Partnership 21 local, state, federal, and non- governmental agencies Goal is to identify and implement solutions to assure reasonable water supply for the river and the people AZ congressional delegation Other groups
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Reservoir Analogy No Pumping Safe Yield Sustainable Yield
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Initial Criteria for Sustainability Unacceptable consequences: The riparian system ceases to function Unavailability of water causes Fort Huachuca to close
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Sustainable yield How much water: Do the people need? Does the riparian system need? Temporal effects Spatial effects Climatic effects
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Ground-Water Budget
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Sustainable yield – initial goal An Aquifer-Storage Approach
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Sustainability – defined spatially Define indicators and thresholds Indicators – variables that inform status Thresholds – markers beyond which sustainability fails EnvironmentSocioeconomic IndicatorThresholdIndicatorThreshold Ground-water levels – regional aquifer ??? Streamflow ??? Spring discharge ??? Ground-water levels – alluvial aquifer Defined by water- needs study ??
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Assessing Progress = Monitoring Water budget aspects Tabulation of pumping Continued refinement of inflow and outflow values System-response aspects Water levels Microgravity Spring and stream discharge Vertical gradients
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Sustainable Yield – Adaptive Management Iterative interaction Management Action Monitoring Analysis
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Science Informing Policy Spatial definition of ground-water management “Capture map”
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Semiarid: Only half of the residents drive camels Questions?
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Reaching the Goal Broad categories of water management measures: Conservation Growing population Recharge Needs source of water Importation Potential legal issues
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Perennial Intermittent Stream gage
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Who, What, Where, When, How?
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Interaction of Multiple Factors
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Annual Section 321 Reports See the 2004 Section 321 report at: http://water.usgs.gov/Section321.2004_050705.pdf
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Sustainability: “…the development and use of ground water in a manner that can be maintained for an indefinite time without causing unacceptable environmental, economic, or social consequences.”
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Outline Introduction to basin – talk about SPRNCA – usual superlatives, Fort, Cities The issues – declining streamflows, zero flow. Discussion of the players Capture Description of work done – model, water needs. Sustainable yield goal – Section 321 Status of water budget – include reservoir analogy to sustainable yield Science to policy section Section 321 reports Capture maps Level change maps Gravity maps
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